General Rules and Safety Policies

All members must scan theirs cards at the front desk before using the facility.

All belayers on the climbing floor must have passed a belay test. All belay techniques used must conform to the standard of the applicable belay tests.

The customer’s harness and climbing equipment must be CE and/ or UIAA approved and unmodified. All equipment must be assembled and used as specified by the manufacturer. Staff persons reserve the right to reject any climbing equipment they deem to be unsafe.

Anyone on the raised blue protective flooring must fill out a liability waiver form and go through an orientation of the climbing facility. Spectators/ pedestrians must keep out of the way of all climbers, and make themselves aware of where climbers are above them.

Instruction of belay techniques to novices is not permitted in the facility unless it is done by Climb Base5 staff.

Auto-Belays: Use is only recommended with a buddy-check from another customer/staff person, and an orientation from a staff person. Please discuss the proper use of this device with a staff person prior to using it.

Headsets should not be allowed while doing any form of climbing. Any activity in the climbing area that compromises the awareness of a participant is viewed as potentially hazardous.

Do not boulder above the recommended bouldering height of the first lead clip, unless the area is permanently protected with heavy crash mats. This means that your hands should not exceed the first lead clip level. Spotters are strongly encouraged to assist when someone bouldering. Use your judgment, and do not hesitate to provide a spot!

Boulderers must remove all climbing equipment and hard objects – including harnesses and chalk bags – to prevent personal injury, damage to pads, and explosions of chalk dust.

Belayers may sit on benches while belaying, but not lie down. Sitting on the floor is only permissible during slow periods (if unsure, ask a staff person). Please do not block passageways, stairways, and emergency exits with your gear – or yourself.

Wall Use: Lead and Top-Roped climbers share highest climbing priority, followed then by boulderers.

Right of way for those on the wall, in descending order: lead-climbers, top-ropers, boulderers, pedestrians.

When top-roping, anchoring to the floor while belaying is not required, but is mandatory for belayers who are belaying someone 150% their weight (or near that). Novice belayers must also anchor down.

All persons under 14 years of age must:

Be supervised by an adult, and are not permitted to belay – unless they are a member of the facility’s Junior Program.

Have their harness checked by a staff member prior to climbing.

Exceptions to these rules must first be approved by the Manager.

Please communicate your presence and your climbing intentions to your climbing neighbours, and be especially diligent when it’s busy. Monopolizing a route is an unpopular practice, as is “camping” on a route that is far too hard for you. Avoid climbing routes that interfere with others already on the climbing wall.

The clientele is asked to report anything hazardous to the attention of management including: spinning holds, frayed ropes, or a dangerous climbing gym user. Please don’t hesitate to stop what you feel is a potentially dangerous situation.

Please do not…

Eat or drink on the raised blue protective flooring.

Use loose chalk. Chalk balls only.

Climb or walk around in bare feet.

Bring pets and bicycles into the facility.

Wear rings on fingers while climbing, or wear jewellery that could create an entanglement hazard.

Display a bad attitude. Be courteous to your fellow climbers and staff.

Wear anything on your harness other than what you need to do the routes (chalk bag and belay device). Unnecessary items have a way of falling off and hurting others (e.g. cell phones, gear racks, packs, and water bottles).

Lead Area Specific Rules

Skipping any draws on a route is not permitted.

Large, intentional falls will be considered reckless behaviour, and treated accordingly.

It is unacceptable to pull ropes unnecessarily, unless these ropes are occupying quickdraws on “your route”, or are not running through the top anchors.

Back-clipping must be corrected immediately before pressing upward.

Z-clipping: please lower to the ground. Do not try to correct the z-clip!

Ground anchoring places too high a force on the climbing system when lead-climbing, and as such is not permitted.

All lead climbers and lead belayers must have passed a lead orientation and test prior to using the lead climbing area, and be displaying their Climb Base5 belay tag on their harness.

Please ensure that at least one complete line of draws exists between any lead climber and other adjacent climbers. Be aware that routes that wander dramatically in the lead area may place lead climbers in positions where a fall could injure a climber beside and below.

Lead belayers are not permitted to belay lead climbers more than 150% their weight. No exceptions

Lead belays with auto-locking devices (Gri-Gris, Cinch, etc.) must be reviewed with a staff-person prior to first use if the participant did not use this device in their lead belay test. A staff-person will demonstrate the acceptable methods.

Climb Base5 staff reserves the right to revoke climbing privileges if these rules are followed. It is the responsibility of the participants to know the rules, stay abreast of the rules, and to follow the rules.

If unsure of any of the above rules, please ask a staff person.

About us

Climb Base5 is located in Coquitlam, BC and is the largest climbing gym in Metro Vancouver. We deliver quality programs for beginners to advanced climbers and provide a uniquely creative climbing experience.